Top 5 batsmen in world cricket right now

The contest between the bat and the ball never fails to amaze us. The game has escalated to a whole another level now and it is more intense than ever. When a sport is being played in the right intent and intensity, it is always good for the game as well as for the viewers. Aggression has come into the sport big time and most of us love it, don't we?

Aggression with the bat is a sight to watch but when bowlers throw down their terrifying stares, that's actual aggression and fun. For long, the gentleman's game has been dubbed as a batsmen game. It is true to an extent because we see scores as high as 600 in a Test, 400 in an ODI and 200 in a T20. Bowlers do have their own share of moments though.

Cricket can never be termed as a "batsmen game" or a "bowler's game" as no game is sealed until the last ball is bowled. Some quality encounters between the teams are always in the store for us and it is bound to improve even more.

Batsmen are key in defining the outcome of a match because the bowlers might be in the best of forms but if there is no score to defend, they really can't do much.

India, New Zealand, England, Australia, and South Africa are some quality batting sides and they are known to produce world-class batters. It should not come as a surprise to anyone if batsmen from any of these countries set the 2019 World Cup on fire. Let us have a look at the top 5 batsmen in world cricket right now.

5. David Warner

David Warner is a pocket-sized dynamite.

David Warner is the former vice-captain of the Australian team. He was given that post for a reason and that was because of his exploits with the bat. Warner is an elegant left-handed batsman who can accelerate in no time and score boundaries at his own will.

Warner's square cuts and pull shots are an absolute treat to watch. He has excelled in almost all conditions. After consistent failures in subcontinent conditions, he has started to perform there also. In Australia's series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh in 2017, he hit two centuries in the two-Test series. This shows that he focuses a lot on his game and strives to keep improving it.

Yes, he is serving a ban at the moment but once he is back into the international circuit, don't be surprised if he scores heavily again.

4. Joe Root

Root is the best English batsman currently.

The skipper of the England Test team is a threat to any team and on any given conditions. Root is a fantastic player of spin and an even better player of the swinging ball. He has a calm head and is still very young at the moment.

Root is very strong on the off-side of the field. He is an ideal batsman in the ODI and Test format. He is one of the very few batsmen who possesses the talent to play according to the situation.

Some may doubt his T20 prowess but the fact is, his T20 strike rates have gone up along with his batting average. Joe is a fantastic leader to and more importantly, a reliable batsman.

3. Steve Smith

Smith is sure to return to his very best if given the opportunity.

The former captain of the Australian team is serving a ban alongside David Warner. He has been out of International action for more than 6 months and is still on the number 2 position in the ICC Test rankings. This shows how good a player he is.

Smith is an impact player who likes to play a long innings every time he goes out to bat. His wicket is always heavily prized and if given a reprieve, he is sure to make it count.

Smith will return to international cricket a month before the World Cup will start. Given the versatile batsman that he is, no one should be surprised if he is drafted straight away into the squad.

2. Kane Williamson

Kane is an eye-pleaser.

One of the best and calmest captains in world cricket at the moment. He is the fulcrum of the New Zealand batsman and is an excellent batsman across all the three formats.

Williamson is usually at his best when it comes to Tests. In ODIs, he scores at a good strike rate and can accelerate as and when the situation demands him to. Many cricket pundits doubted his T20 skills but he proved them all wrong.

Williamson won the orange cap in this year's IPL and led SRH to the finals of the biggest domestic T20 tournament. He scored his runs at a strike rate of more than 140 and that shows what impact he had in the tournament. He can truly succeed as a batsman anywhere in the world.

Kane is a world-class leader, an even better batsman and more importantly, a true gentleman of this wonderful game.

1. Virat Kohli

The very best in the business.

Does this man even need an introduction? Virat is the best batsman in world cricket right now in all the three formats. He is ranked number one in Tests. He recently became the second fastest to 24 Test centuries, achieving the fantastic feat in 123 innings, next to Sir Don Bradman.

Virat scores his runs in Tests at a strike of almost 60. His average 54.66 in Tests and 58.21 in ODIs. These are some mind-boggling stats. He is known to rotate the strike more than any player and is one of the fittest players in this current Indian team.

There were always doubts regarding Virat's technique in English conditions and he gave all of his doubters a mouth-shutting reply when he dominated the batting charts in the recently concluded England-India Test series.

With age still on his side and his fitness better than ever, Virat is sure to go a long way and cement his spot as the number 1 batsman in the world.